Gate.



PATENTED AU'GLlS, 1907.

R. M. THOMPSON.

GATE. A PPLIGATION FILED DB0. 2a. 1905.

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No. 863,471. PATBNTED AUG. 13, 1907. R. M. THOMPSON.

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ROBERT M. THOMPSON, OF TAOOMA, WASHINGTON.

GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed December 28, 1905. Serial No. 293,609.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT M. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to. gates and is more particularly an improvement in the gate patented byA.Noe on July 1S, 1905, No. 795162, and has for its objects to -produce a sliding gate which will be simple in construction and adjustably hung.

Further objects are to improve means of operating the 5 to extend the adaptability oi the gate operating mechanism to a large variety of circumstances; and to improve the automatic gate latching mechanism.

I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front View of the gate. Fig. 2 is a detail of the latch. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively front and end views of the adjustable hanger. Fig. 5 is a plan of a portion of the gate. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section oi the gate at the operating post. Fig. 7 is an end view of the upper portion oi the operating post. Fig. 8 is a view of the gate guide.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my gate l is hung from the rear, by means of the cantaliver extension 2 from the fixed rail 3 supported by suitable posts at the side of the gateway. The gate is hung irom this rail 3 by means of the front hanger roller 4 which is grooved and is secured to the gate at its rear end, and by the double hanger 5 adjustably secured to the rear end of the cantaliver 2 In constructing the fixed rail 3 I prefer to use a light angle iron as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 supporting it at various points from the posts installed for that purpose. I also iind that in some portions of the country it is advisable to house in the track 3 as shown in Fig. 1 so as to allow the gate 1 to enter freely into the housing, thus protecting it from being blocked by snow or by sand or any other shifting obstruction and allowing it to be opened in spite of any extraordinary occurrence and, since the gate is normally kept closed and is open only for a few moments, it will itself keep the gateway clear so that it can be closed when once opened. The above mentioned double hanger 5 consists of a strap oi iron supporting the upper and lower rollers or wheels G and 7 which ride respectively on the edge of the angle and on the corner thereof as shown in Fig. 4. The upper wheel G is preferably grooved so that it will retain its position on the bar or rail 3 but the lower wheel has a straight surface. The hanger 5 does not completely envelop the wheels G and 7 vdrum so as not to allow any slipping thereon.

but a space is left on one side through which the rail 3 projects so as to come between the wheels. The hanger 5 `is provided with a lower extension which engages between two guides S, secured to the rear end of the cantaliver extension 2, and is adjustably held therein by the screw 9 which screws through a lug formed on said guides 8 and which engages the lower end ofthe hanger 5 so that when the screw 9 is turned it will move the guides 8 relatively to the hanger 5 7 and hence will adjust the gate vertically.

My improved gate is preferably latchcd by means of the vertically pivoted hook 10, secured to the end bar of the gate, and adapted to hook over a suitable bar 11 properly mounted on the end gate post. The latch is automatically operated since it is connected to the gate operating wire 12 which is secured at the forward, or latch, end of the gate to the latch hook 10 and at the rear end to the end of the cantaliver eXtension 2. The wire 12 is secm'ed to an extension of the latch hook 10 out of line with the pivot thereof so that by 'pulling the wire 12 the hook 10 is raised and released from engagement with the bar 11 on the gate post. A spring 13 pulls the latch hook 10 downwards and is made stronger than a spring 14 which is secured to the other end of the wire 12 between said wire and the end of the cantaliverextension 2 A suitable adjustable tumbuckle 15 may also be introduced between said spring 14 and the extension 2. The wire 127 is therefore hung between two springs 13 and 14 and operates the gate by pulling on one or the other thereof.

In Figs. G and S are shown the lateral guides which keep the gate from swinging sidewise. 'lhese consist of brackets 16 secured to a post or other suitable support and each having two guide wheels 177 mounted thereon on vertical axes, the said wheels bearing on both sides ol' the upper and lower gate frame bars. The forward end of the gate l may also enter between suit-ably arranged guide lugs which are secured to the gate post and which are indicated in the draw ings by the numerals 18.

The wire 12 is actuated by the wheel 19 7, around which it is wound intermediate the springs 13 and 14, which wheel may be rotated in one direction or the other as hereinafter described. The wheel 19 is mounted on a suitable horizontal axle suitably supported in close proximity to the gate l, and two other wheels er drums 20 are also mounted thereon, said drums 20 being of any desired diameter in comparison with the wheel 19 according to the ratios of leverage desired as hereinafter explained. r

Referring' to Fig'. G it will be observed that a flexible cord or rope 21 is wound several times around one of the drums 20, which cord 21 is secured to said In the Cil drawing the cord 21 is shown as having its ends pass upwards, and to one end thereof are secured the two ropes 227 and 29 while to the other end are secured the two ropes 23 and 30; said ropes 22 and 83 pass to one operating point while the ropes 29 and 30 pass to another operating point, and since the ends of the rope 21 are complementary to each other, the ends ofthe ropes 22 and 29 are complementary to the ends oi the ropes 23 and 30. In ordinary practice these ropes will be led over suitable pulleys 24 mounted on cross arms 25 secured to the vertical post 26 and extending out for several feet on each side ol the gateway; the ends ol the ropes 22 and 23 hanging thereirom on one side while the ends ot the ropes 29 and 30 hang on the other side and all said ends being preferably provided with suitable gripping handles. Other arrangements of these operating ropes 22 and 23 may be had as will be indicated. It is evident that it' the ends oi the ropes 22. and 29 are up, and these of the ropes 237 and l30 are down, as shown in Fig. 6, and it the gate is closed when said rope ends are in such positions, that by pulling firmly on either of the ropes 22 the drum 20 and the axle and wheel 19 will be rotated, thus pulling the wire 12, against the spring 13, lifting the latch hook 10 away from the bar 1l, and pulling the gate 1 open. As the ends of the ropes 22 or 29 are pulled down, the ends of the ropes 23 and 30 rise until the gate is opened and then the said ends are in positions the reverse oi those which they occupied when the gate was closed.

It is evident, as above inferred, that a great variety of arrangements of the ropes 22 29, 30 and 23 may. be had to suit special circumstances, any or all ot which may be installed. 1n Fig. 6 I have also shown one method ot closing the gate without the necessity oi pulling the cord 23. This is done by a weight 27 hung from a cord 28 which is wound around one of the drums 20 in such direction as to close the gate when the cord 22 is released. When this device is used the cord 22 may be retained in the hand while the vehicle is passing through the gate, thus holding the gate open until the cord is released, when the weight 27 will close the gate.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. The combination with a longitudinally sliding gate, ol' a cantaliver extension formed on the rear of said gate, a supporting rail removed from the gateway, a hanger secured to the rear of said gate and engaging the upper side ol? said rail, and a hanger adjustably secured to the end of said cantaliver extension and engaging ,the lower side of said rail.

2. The combination with a longitudinally sliding gate, ol' a cantaliver extension formed on the rear of said gate, a supportingrail removed from the gateway and having a narrow edge, a grooved hanger wheel secured to the rear of said gate and engaging the upper side of said rail in said groove, and a hanger provided with a grooved wheel and adjustably secured to the end ot said cantaliver extension and engaging the lower side of said rail in said groove.

3. 'lhe combination with a longitudinally sliding gate, of a cautaliver extension formed on said gate, a supporting rail having' a narrow upper edge, a grooved hanger wheel secured to said gate and engaging said rail in said groove, and a hanger provided with a pair of wheels engaging between them the upper and lower surface of said rail. said hanger being adjustably secured to the end of said cantaliver extension.

el. The combination with a longitudinally sliding gate supported from the rear from a fixed rail, a spring latch secured to the forward end of said gate and adapted to hook to the gate post, a flexible wii'e secured at one end to said latch and acting against the spring thereot and secured at its other' end through a spring to the other en d ol' said gate, a rotating wheel adjacent to said gate around which said flexible wire is wound intermediate ol' its ends. a drum secured to Said wheel, a flexible rope wound on said drum, and pairs of operating ropes, one in each pair heilig secured to each end of said flexible rope.

lhe combination with a longitudinally sliding gate supported from the rear from a xed rail, a flexible wire secured at its ends to the ends of said gate, a rotating wheel adjacent to said gate around which said flexible wire is wound intermediate of its ends, a drum secured to said wheel, a liexible rope wound on said drum, and a plurality ol' pairs of operating ropes, each pair leading to a separate p'oint, one rope in each pair being secured to each end ot' said flexible rope whereby said gate may be independently operated in either direction from any of the points.

G. 'lhe combination with-a longitudinally sliding gate supported from the rear from a fixed rail, a spring latch secured to the forward end of said gate and adapted to hook to the gate post, a turnbuckle secured to the other end oi the gate, a spring secured to the other end of the turnbuchle, a flexible wire secured to the latch and to the spring and acting against the said springs, a rotating wheel adjacent to said gate around which said flexible wire is wound intermediate of its ends whereby said gate is operated, a drum secured to said wheel, a flexible rope wound on said drum, and a plurality of pairs ol' operating ropes, each pair leading to a separate point, one rope in each pair being secured to each end of said flexible rope whereby said gate may be independently operated in either direction l'roin any o1 the points.

ln testimony whereot` l ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. THOMPSON.

Witnesses M. ll. Conny, M. A. VAN House. 

